Analysis

The problem is these timescales are very, very, tight so there's only Friday realistically to sort this out because we've got the Bank Holiday on Monday.

It all depends on how much each side is wedded to their positions.

Having heard that debate earlier between the bosses of LU and the RMT, it doesn't sound that promising that next week's strike will be avoided.

In the latest strike, LU said more staff members had arrived for work than during the last strike in February and volunteers were helping passengers.

Mike Brown, managing director of LU, told BBC London News: "We don't think ticket offices are a part of our future but we wait to hear constructive ideas from any of the trade unions. Some of them have come up with constructive ideas.

"I look forward to hearing constructive thoughts from the RMT, but you don't have constructive talks when you hold London to ransom."

In response, Mike Cash, RMT's acting general secretary, said the transport authority told them they could have the review but ticket offices would remain closed.

"To us that's not the proper way to have a review because you're predetermining the outcome."

He added that the union wanted the full impact of closing all the ticket offices looked into, which is something he says has not happened.

Image copyrightPAImage caption
Platforms on the Jubilee Line at Waterloo Station were packed with commuters

Image copyrightAPImage caption
The bus network took the strain, with Transport for London saying a record number of buses were running

On Tuesday, the RMT accused LU of "misleading" the public over the level of services and of leaving platforms and stations "dangerously overcrowded".

Mr Cash said: "It helps no-one for LU to deliberately mislead the public as to what services are available, as it simply piles dangerous levels of pressure on to the ghost trains and skeleton operations, leaving passengers and staff at risk."

TfL needs to save £4.2bn by 2020. It hopes to save £50m a year by closing ticket offices.

He accused him of using Londoners "as pawns in his personal crusade for the leadership of the Tory party".

He said reducing the numbers of Tube workers would make stations a "criminals' paradise", adding: "The political posturing by the mayor and his officials at London Underground and TfL must stop and talks based on RMT's proposed solution to the dispute must be reconvened."

'Yesterday was worse'

LU said 52% of services were running on Wednesday, up 2% on those running on Tuesday.

Extra bus services were in operation since the start of the strike, with some vintage models being brought back into use.

Billy Reeves, BBC London 94.9's travel reporter, said the roads other than in the West End and along the Euston Road had been no busier because of the strike. "Yesterday was worse," he added.

The DLR and London Overground lines are not affected by the strike action.

Among those affected were football fans travelling to Stamford Bridge for the Champions League clash between Chelsea and Atlético Madrid.

Chelsea FC advised fans to find alternative routes to the stadium, such as walking from Clapham Junction or taking buses from Hammersmith, as Fulham Broadway was closed before the match while West Brompton and Parsons Green closed at 21:30.